Say Cheese

I first tried this sauce at Morimoto's in Philadelphia with Mr. Bee. I had ordered Ebi Tempura as my appetizer, and this was the sauce it came with. I was in heaven. For the Holidays pair this sauce with your traditional roasts or atop a familiar Monte Cristo.

Gorgonzola Sauce

4 c heavy cream
4 oz gorgonzola
3 tbsp parmesan
¾ tsp kosher salt
¾ tsp pepper
3 tbsp parseley

Bring cream to boil on medium heat and then on high for 45 mins.
Remove from heat and add other ingredients. Whisking continuously.

Joyeux Noel

Although at Gourtmet Bee everyday is Christmas, December is Christmas so this season is particularly more festive. This month, Gourmet Bee will feature great holiday recipes and menu guides that you can use for the Christmas season. Follow these menu ideas or personalize some dishes to make them your own. Make a list of the people you are thankful for and those who really bring on the Christmas spirit and invite them to sit at your Holday table. Trust me there's no better Christmas than spending it in the company of good friends and family!From our beehive to yours, Gourmet Bee wishes you and your family a funfilled, foodfilled Holiday!

To start, here is a Noche Buena classic as it is eaten and served in the country where Christmas is the happiest, busiest, and loveliest time of the year.

My Family's Leche Flan

This is actually not my own family's leche flan recipe but Mr. Bee's. It's the most delicious I've tried, and secretly the easiest to make.

Custard

8 whole egg yolks

1 can condensed milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp zest of a lime

Syrup

1 c white sugar

1/2 c water

To make the syrup, mix sugar and water together and melt over medium heat on a stove top until it forms a golden brown caramel. Pour into disposable loaf pans or a traditional llanera, before it hardens.

To make the custard, whisk the egg yolks and condensed milk until smooth. Add the vanilla. Pour into syrup lined loaf pans. Make sure the syrup has hardened before you pour in the mixture.

Create a bain marie. Cover the custard in foil. (very important) Bake the custard in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes, or until firm.

Mang Melchor's Chicken Inasal

This by far is the best barbecue chicken recipe ever. Chicken Inasal is a kind of grilling that originates from the Visayan region of the Philippines. I consider it a good alternative to a Noche Buena feast. It's simplicity is a refreshing break from the sensory overload one gets during Christmas. I like to serve something light and simple when guests expect soemthing fancy. That way, everyone is immediately put at ease and sharing the meal becomes more fun!

Ingredients:

ginger
garlic
brown sugar
cane vinegar or coconut vinegar
calamansi
rock salt
Marinate all ingredients for an one hour before grilling.
Before grilling, make the achuete oil.
Make a slit on each side of the marinated chicken.
Baste the chicken with achuete oil while grilling.
Serve with sinamak, soy sauce, calamansi and fresh siling labuyo (red chili)

To make the achuete oil: Warm enough achuete seeds in lots of cooking oil over moderate heat for one to two minutes. Do not let the oil burn. Set aside and stir until the oil turns orange in color.

Recipe for a Pretty Face

I was actually on my way to pick up a bottle of good Madagascar vanilla when instead I found myslef taking a detour to Union Square. It is after all necessary to keep yourself as pretty as your table arrangement for this Holiday Season. So with Baby Bee in tow, I shopped around the cosmetic counters with as much discretion I would the produce section of my local farmer's market.

A couple months back, I took the handmade pledge. It's a promise to, as much as possible, support organic, local, and artisan everything. And so even in the cosmetic counter I was drwan to lines that boast of natural, raw and organic materials, as well as those that preferred synthetic vs. natural materials if it meant advocating the principles of PETA.

Just like how I would put together a pretty dish for Mr. Bee, here below you would find how I put together a pretty face. Again for Mr. Bee.

Cleanse
Nude Cosmetics Cleansing Oil
Nude Cosmetics Cleansing Milk

Tone
SKII Facial Treatment Essence

Moisturize
Josie Maran Argan Oil

Foundation
Hourglass Veil

Powder
Josie Maran Natural Powder

Blush
Giorgio Armani Sheer Blush

Conceal and Eyes
YSL Touche Eclat

Lips
Nude Shea Butter Balm
Lipstick Queen in Saint and Sinner
Josie Maran Lip Plumper

As Easy as Pie

The next best thing to cooking a delicous meal is cooking a delicious meal good enough for Mr. Bee to enjoy and healthy enough for Baby Bee to bite. I've discovered that one of those dishes that fit the criteria is homemade quiche. Quiche can be pretty intimidating to make, but I tell you, once you get started, it's actually easy as pie!

Quiche con Prosciouto San Danielle

1 store bought pie crust
1 c organic heavy cream
1/2 c water
4 eggs
1 1/2 c freshly grated parmesan cheese
4 onion rings
freshly ground pepper
5 slices Prosciouto (i like San Danielle)

Preheat oven to 375.
Beat 4 eggs. Combine Heavy cream and water. Add pepper.
On the unbaked pie crust, layer the prosciouto slices and the onion rings, broken into pieces. Pour the wet mixture onto the crust. Add 1 cup of the grated parmesan cheese. Bake for about 40-45 mins. Out of the oven top with remaining parmesan cheese. Ce'st Magnifique!

Bocadillo

I was introduced to Bar Cesar years ago, when I first moved to San Francisco. Located in Berkeley's famous district, dubbed the Gourmet Ghetto, Bar Cesar did not always garner rave reviews vis-a-vis its next door neighbor Chez Panisse, although for me it always made the cut. Just for their selection of Bocadillos I would make the trip to Berkeley from the city, until one day tired was i from the frequency of my visits, I finally had the bright idea of replicating my favorite sandwhiches in the comfort of my own home. And so as Baby Bee looks on I make bocadillos for myself. Here's one of them replicas.

Spicy Tuna and Egg Bocadillo

For the Tuna:
1 can yellow fin tuna, liquid drained
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp capers
salt
chili flakes
pepper
squeeze of meyer lemon

Mix all ingredients together.

To assemble:

Use a kind of bread thats both crunchy and soft such as sweet baguette or dutch crunch.
Warm the bread until the inside gets soft
Spread a generous layer of French aioli
Add mix greens, slices of hard boiled egg, and top with the tuna

Kiss From a Rose

Today I got my own copy of the cookbook from Paris' famous Rose Bakery entitled Breakfast, Lunch, Tea. How cool is that? My three favorite things in the world tackled all in one book, save for my other three favorites dinner, coffee, and my afternoon merienda. Needless to say, three for three is not a bad batting average, hence the reason I now own the cookbook. It is an amazing book. Very artfully done. Very pleasingly aesthetic. If anything it makes for a great coffee table book.

The recipes are superb too. The first things I want to sample are: Amazing Banana Smoothie, wowee Ricotta Pancakes, Cod in Tomato Water and oh my Hazelnut Brownies!

I am defintely so excited to try the recipes from the book but I think what I am more excited about is a gift from Mr. Bee on my birthday. "So, what would you want for your birthday this year? he asks me." "Just tea, " I reply, "at Rose Bakery in Paris!"

Super Duper Chocolate Cake

I've searched all my life for the best ever chocolate cake. I always think I've found "the one" but every year or so I always find something that's better. So from all of those better cakes, I've combined my own version to make the best. And what can I say? It's just super. Duper.


For the cake:
1/4 c Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 c 70% cacao pure melted chocolate
1 c milk warmed
1 c lowfat buttermilk
1/2 c European style unslated butter
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
1 tbsp good vanilla
2 c flour
2 tbsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350%
Combine dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients
Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients
Mix at low speed until smooth
Do not overbeat
Bake whole cake for about 35-40 mins.

For the icing:
3/4 c cocoa powder
1 1/2 c evaporated milk
1 1/4 c condensed milk
1/4 c butter
1/2 c water
1/2 c sugar

In a large saucepan, outside of heat, dissolve cocoa and sugar in water. Add milk.
On medium heat, mix until thick. (about 30-45 mins)
Finish off with the butter to glaze.

While still warm, pour icing over the cake.